


brother

by broadway_hufflepuff



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Basically a rewrite with a bad ending, Brotherly Angst, Brothers, Character Death, Hurt Thor (Marvel), I wrote this a long time ago don't judge me, Internal Monologues, Little Brothers, Loki & Thor Friendship (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Not Slash, Not Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Compliant, POV Loki (Marvel), POV Thor (Marvel), Protective Older Brothers, Protective Thor (Marvel), Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Thor: The Dark World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 07:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broadway_hufflepuff/pseuds/broadway_hufflepuff
Summary: "Bloody idiot," Loki muttered, and he raised his sword into action, swinging it at frost giants left and right.One of them lunged for his arm and latched onto it. Loki glanced down and tried to pull away, but his eyes widened instead.His skin was turning blue.Why was his skin turning blue?





	1. Against Jotunheim

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to the MCU
> 
> please don't repost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As usual, Thor probably assumed he was being smart.
> 
> How ignorant, thought Loki, could Thor possibly be?

**Loki POV**

Thor, Sif, the Warrior's Three, and Loki landed on Jotunheim, Thor's hand wrapped tight around Mjolnir.

The air was cold to a crisp, and Loki made sure to survey his surroundings before proceeding. Unlike his brother, who was just rushing into things.

As usual, Thor probably assumed he was being smart.

_How ignorant, _ thought Loki, _ could Thor _ possibly _ be? _

Lady Sif's hand was resting on the hilt of her sword. Hogun's eyes were shifting back and forth between the towering shards of rock.

All of a sudden, there was a deep laugh. "You've come a long way to die, Asgardians."

Volstagg and Fandral twisted in surprise. A looming figure's shadow fell over them- eyes red and glaring. _ A Frost Giant, _ Loki realized.

Not just any Frost Giant. _ The _ Frost Giant. Laufey.

Frost giants are monsters. And the King? He's just as cruel, Loki assumed.

"Brother, this is madness," Loki hissed, grabbing Thor's arm. "Let's just go home."

"Yes," Laufey grinned, spirals of teeth showing. "Go home, princess."

Loki winced, because he _ knew _ what was going to happen next. He turned to stop his brother- stop him from doing something _ stupid _, but Thor was already hurling his hammer toward Laufey.

"Bloody idiot," Loki muttered, and he raised his sword into action, swinging it at frost giants left and right.

One of them lunged for his arm and latched onto it. Loki glanced down and tried to pull away, but his eyes widened instead.

His skin was turning blue.

Why was his _ skin _ turning _ blue? _

Loki stared at the frost giant, horror leaking onto his features, and the frost giant stared back, grinning. 

"So the Prince of Asgard isn't as much of an Asgardian as he thought he was," the giant whispered, and then laughed. Loki wrenched himself away.

What _ was _ he?


	2. Turning Away from Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanos is scary, and that's something that Loki knows.

**Loki POV**

Loki supposed he was being ridiculous, going to this mad titan, searching for a job.

He shouldn't be here. He _ really _ shouldn't.

But Odin...

Odin had used him and nobody even cared. 

Frigga was the only one with an ounce of love for him.

His pigheaded brother probably wouldn't even allow it.

It was times like those that made Loki wonder what the point even was. The point of Asgard. The point of family.

It was times like those that made Loki do things like this.

Like turn to a powerful purple titan, offering assistance.

"Son of Odin-" Thanos began, but Loki cut him off with a sharp cough.

"So sorry to interrupt, my lord, but I am _ not _ a son of Odin," Loki said sharply. "Loki _ Laufeyson _."

Thanos dry lips curled into an amused smile. "Last I heard you and your brother were off galavanting around Jotunheim, working _ against _ Laufeyson..." Thanos' face grew serious now, eyebrows tilted downward as a threatening manner. He leaned forward in his throne, purple hands gripping the armrest. "Are _ you _ trying to trick _ me _, little Odinson? Because I really don't think you realize what I'm capable of."

Loki kept a steady smirk on his face, but internally, he shuddered. "My lord. No. I would not dare betray you. I know what you are capable of. It is not something I would prefer to experience myself. I am, _ truly, _the son of Laufey. I could provide an explanation, but I'm sure you would prefer me not to go in depth on my long, inexplicably tragic childhood."

Thanos pinched the bridge of his nose. "So dramatic." He paused. "Very well, Loki, son of... _ Laufey. _I have a job for you to do. That is, if you are not too afraid to deal with it."

"I can handle it. Whatever it is, I _ assure _ you," Loki replied coolly. He stepped forward, cape swishing behind me. He tugged on it in frusteration. Why didn't he leave the _ stupid _ thing when he left Asgard?

Thanos grinned. "Well. If you're sure."

He stood up and gestured to the left. "The Other will explain my plans to you. You must carry out each as I see fit."

A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows, a mask covering his face. "Ah. Loki, son of-"

"Don't even start with me," Loki snapped. "Just tell me the orders."

Thanos walked out with a chuckle. The Other shook his head.

"You better be careful, God of Mischief," he rasped. "Thanos is not one to take a joke."

Loki rolled his eyes. "_ Please _. I think I can handle a giant purple grape."

The Other sucked in a croaky breath. "You better watch that silver-tongue of yours, young prince." He paused. "It's time I catch you up on your... _ mission _. Let me just ask you this... how familiar are you with Earth?"


	3. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death wasn’t common on Asgard.

**Loki POV**

Death had never bothered Loki before. So why now?

He didn’t care how many innocent human lives he destroyed.

He didn’t care if an entire species was wiped out.

But he hadn’t really understood death.

How would he?

Loki was a  _ god. _ So was everybody he even sort of cared about.

Death wasn’t common on Asgard.

Loki thought murder was  _ nothing _ .

He didn’t realize how it affected people. He didn’t know half the pain that came with it.

Until Frigga died.

His queen.

His mother.

His friend.

And he’d helped end her life- helped bring about her demise- by pointing the dark elf in the right direction.

_ If he’d known what was on the line, he never would have crossed it. _

_ If he’d known how it felt to lose somebody… _

Loki pounded on the wall with curled up fists. Was this why he’d been imprisoned? Was this the kind of pain he’d caused countless others?

And  _ Thor. _

He’d tried to kill Thor. His own brother.

Now, Loki realized, he didn’t want Thor dead.

He didn’t want Frigga dead.

He didn’t want anybody  _ else _ dead.

Because once they’re dead, they’re gone and not coming back.

A memory came to Loki now- Thor’s face. Battered, bruised... _hurt._

“If you’re going to kill somebody, brother, kill me,” Thor had said.

Loki remembered hesitating.

But he’d tried to hurt him anyway.

Where had it got him?

His mother, dead.

His kingdom, destroyed.

His own brother didn’t trust him.

Loki himself knew he was a wreck. He knew he was messed up.

Because he didn’t know what to think anymore. He’d believed he was meant to be a monster, the kind that people were running from, screaming in fear.

But the only person he scared, Loki realized, was himself.

_ Now you see me, brother. _


	4. She Wouldn't Want Us to Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of this dialogue is in the movie, while some is not!

**Thor POV**

The air was muggy, and the only sound was the sparse breaths of Jane. Thor gently laid the blanket over her.

"She's doing alright," noted Loki. "For now."

Thor nodded. "She is strong."

Loki rolled his eyes. " _ Honestly _ , brother, you really believe that this...  _ mortal _ is worth all of this trouble? There are plenty of other girls back in Asgard who would gladly take you. Take Sif, for example. She-"

Thor huffed at him. "Sif is great and all, but I don't  _ love _ her. At least not in the same way I love Jane."

Loki made a disgusted sound. "Enough sappy stuff, Thor. Time is different for mortals. No matter how much time you think you have... how much time your precious Jane lives- a day, a month, a year- when she dies, you will  _ never _ be ready. She'll be gone before you even have the chance to say goodbye," he said. "And  _ I _ , for one, will  _ not _ be picking up the pieces when she goes."

"For the last time, Loki," Thor growled, anger rising inside his throat. "I do not  _ care _ if she is from Midgard! I'm in  _ love _ with her."

Loki glared at him. "Oh really? You love her? You said you loved Mother, too. Yet you did absolutely  _ nothing  _ as she was slaughtered and killed!"

"If  _ I _ had been there, rest assured I would have  _ helped _ her!" Thor shouted back. "You expect me to believe that the Dark Elves found her there on coincidence?" He cut his gaze to Loki. "I'm almost positive her death was  _ your _ doing."

Loki flinched. "Don't. I would never."

"Well, you had no problem trying to kill  _ me _ !" Thor snapped. He smashed his knuckles into his palm.

Loki sucked in a breath. "I only pointed the Elves up the stairs, alright? I was angry at  _ you  _ so really this is your fault, not _ mine.  _ If I had known they were going after Mother-"

Thor threw his hands in the air, exasperated. " _ There _ it is  _ again _ ! You thought the Elves were going for Father and I, so you made no effort to stop them." Thor turned away. "I can't even look at you. By Odin's beard, what the hell happened to us, Loki? Why can't we get along?"

Loki shrugged, and more fury split inside Thor. Why was he so casual about all of this?

"We don't get along because you refuse to listen to anything I have to say," Loki replied coolly. "You think you're so smart-"

"THAT'S IT!" Thor screamed, and he clenched his fists. Storming towards his brother, Thor's left arm raised and went to pin Loki to the side of the ship, while his right hand went hurtling towards his face.

But something made Thor stop, his hand only inches from Loki's face. 

It was a fleeting lock of fright, flickering across Loki's eyes. And Thor saw a bit of Frigga in them, so he pulled back.

Releasing his grip on his brother, Thor sighed. "Mother wouldn't want us to fight."

Loki cracked a familiar, lopsided smile. "Well, she wouldn't exactly be surprised, would she?" 

Thor nodded, but didn't return his brothers smile. 

He could promise not to fight, but he couldn't promise to forgive.

"I wish I could trust you," Thor said, his voice low. A smile was on his face, but it wasn't a happy smile. If anything, Thor felt more bitter than happy.

He turned away, leaving Loki silent.

Just as he was prepared to drop the conversation, Loki spoke up.

"Trust my rage."


	5. The End of Life as He Knows It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know what would be entertaining?” Hela asked Loki, running her fingers along the armrest of the throne. “You crying over your brothers body instead of him crying over you.”
> 
> Loki arched an eyebrow. “That’s the difference between me and Thor,” he scoffed. “I would never cry over something I wouldn’t miss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter! Thank you and enjoy! I'm so sorry about the ending... might change later

**Loki POV**

“Brother.”

Loki spun around, his hands hovering with Surtur’s crown just above the Eternal Flame. “Hela,” he whispered in acknowledgement.

Hela smiled, her hands on her hips. Her glossy, snake-like battle crown was looming over her like branches of bare trees.

“I’m surprised to see  _ you _ here. You.  _ Helping _ . Of all people to save the world…” Hela trailed off, pretending to examine her nails. “You and I are similar, you know.”

“Name one way,” Loki snapped, and Hela’s image immediately wavered. Loki felt his jaw drop, and Hela laughed, a vicious, melancholy laugh.

“Yes,” Hela hissed, “That’s right. I can make copies, too.”

“Did Mother teach you?” Loki whispered, lowering the crown. “ _ Did _ she?”

“Of course. She was  _ my _ mother before she was  _ yours.  _ And let’s not forget she wasn’t even blood related to you,” Hela sneered.

Loki clenched his jaw. “Shut up.”

He turned back to the Eternal Flame, ready for drop the crown in. But hesitated.

“What are you waiting for?” Hela’s copy asked. “If you  _ really  _ wanted to help Thor, you would have dropped Surtur’s stupid horns in by now.”

She waved her arm. Loki stumbled back, almost losing grip on the crown. “I am  _ not _ doing this for  _ Thor,”  _ Loki spat, rage building. “I’m doing it for the people of Asgard!”

Loki’s hands released the crown into the flame, fire shooting up as Surtur began to grow.

Hela’s copy faded as Loki turned and sprinted back towards the top of the palace, his boots pounding against the polished floors. He  _ had  _ to run faster. If he didn’t he would never make it out alive.

Loki slid into the throne room, about to make it- about to get out, about to escape- but something stopped him.

Slowly, carefully, he turned towards the throne. Hela sat atop it, dark eyes boring into him like daggers, hair down and loose in front of her face.

“‘Ah,” Loki said, smirking. “Another copy.  _ Clever,  _ Hela, but not clever enough,” he told her, picking up a bit of rubble to throw it at her, but as soon as it reached Hela, she grabbed it and smashed it to tiny pieces, just as she’d done to Thor’s hammer.

“You never learn, do you?” Hela shook her head, a malicious smile graced her lips as she rolled her eyes. She drew back her greasy hair into the warriors crown again, all the while keeping her eyes on her younger, adopted brother.

“You know what would be entertaining?” Hela asked Loki, running her fingers along the armrest of the throne. “You crying over your  _ brothers  _ body instead of him crying over you.”

Loki arched an eyebrow. “That’s the difference between me and Thor,” he scoffed. “I would  _ never  _ cry over something I wouldn’t miss.”

Hela smiled. “Nice ambition, child.”

Loki shook his head, glancing at the crumbling building. He clenched his left fist, the other reaching toward the hilt of his sword. “You’re not going to make it, sister, so I suppose this is  _ goodbye _ .”

Surtur suddenly rumbled, shaking Loki so much that he fell over. Lava began spurting out of the tiny cracks in the floor.

The door burst open, which was stupid, because there was a gaping hole where the wall used to be. “LOKI, LET’S GO!” Thor roared, running towards his younger brother, and pulling him by his arm off the floor. “Don’t make me carry you!”

“Thor, let go of me!” Loki elbowed him, shaking Thor’s concern off with a shrug.

Hela cackled in amusement. “Well, well, well,” she drawled. “It seems Thor cares much more about you than you care about him.”

Thor rolled his eyes. “Oh, sister, that would be  _ such _ an understatement.” He gritted his teeth and stomped on the shaking ground, an eerie whitish-blue glow heating up his eyes. Electricity shot out of his hands towards Hela, but with one, swift, movement, she halted his energy and stored it into a giant ball of boiling sparks.

Thor took a step back, frozen in awe of the storm above him.

Loki’s eyes widened.

“It was nice having you two for a while, but I prefer being an only child,” Hela hissed, and she raised a bony arm above herself, swirling it in a motion that directed the sphere of energy.

Loki, seeing his sisters plan, dove out of the way, dodging Hela’s attack.

But Thor wasn’t quite fast enough.

“Goodbye, God of Thunder,” Hela sneered, and the ball of lightning came crashing down, on top of Thor.

His own power pushed him against the ground, sending his colliding into the wall. He thrashed with pain as Hela rubbed her hands together.

“Such fun,” she cackled.

Loki sprinted over to his older brother, eyes wild. “Thor?”

Thor grumbled. “Loki.”

“Thor!” Loki breathed, sinking to his knees. “No, no, no, no, no,  _ no _ .” He pressed a shaky hand to Thor’s chest, feeling for a pulse. “ _ Please _ be okay.”

Thor gripped his brothers hand, blood streaming down his face. “I’m so sorry,” he rasped. “I-”

Loki scraped at his eyes, trying to cover up tears.

“Shut up, you blasted idiot,” Loki shouted. “You have  _ nothing _ to be sorry for. You-”

Thor winced with pain as he struggled to shift. Loki’s eyes went wide.

He no longer felt like the monster he’d made himself. He no longer wanted Thor dead. Any trace, any  _ ounce _ of hatred he’d ever had for Asgard, Odin, or Thor- it dissolved.

And it left Loki feeling vulnerable.

Like the child he’d once been. The little brother. Loki, son of Odin. Brother of Thor.

Thor had always mourned him.

Cried for him, saved him, believed in him.

He’d shoved him away.

Loki had never cared. He didn’t  _ want _ to.

But now…

“Loki,” Thor’s soft voice broke him out of his thoughts. “I have to go,” he said quietly.

“No!” Loki muttered. “You’re  _ not leaving  _ me like this.”

“I thought you didn’t care?” Hela mused.

Loki ignored her. “Please don’t go,” he pleaded, eyes watering. “I can’t face this alone. I can’t-  _ you  _ can’t die!”

“I’m sorry.”

Loki squeezed Thor’s hand. “Would you stop saying that?  _ I’m _ the one who should be sorry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have waited this long to say it.”

Thor breathed in a shaky breath. “I forgive you, brother. I love you.”

Loki paled as Thor’s hand went limp in his own.

Cold.

Empty.

_ Dead. _

“NO!” Loki screamed, hammering his free hand on the floor, refusing to let go. “NOT NOW! I HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY!”

Hela laughed. “I must say, this  _ is  _ entertaining.”

Loki reeled around, a mix of rage and fear and sadness swelling inside him. “ _ You _ killed him!”

Hela shrugged. “You said you didn’t care.”

Loki stumbled back, shaking. He clutched Thor’s lifeless form with a slippery grip. “I didn’t mean it,” Loki told Hela, vision red with anger. “I wasn’t lying when I said it. I didn’t think I  _ would _ care.”

“You’re too late.”

_ I’d never cry over something I wouldn’t miss. _

Loki’s own words pounded in his head, and he reached up to cover his ears. “Please, please, please, please,” he whispered to Thor, his voice cracking, his cheeks stained with tears, his eyes rimmed with red, “I lo- I love you, brother. I always have.”

He slumped onto Thor, crying into his armor.

“Bye, Loki,” Hela murmured. She raised an arm, and Loki leaned over Thor as if to shield him.

He knew it was no use.

Thor was already dead.

But he knew Thor would have done the same thing.

“I love you,” Loki muttered to his brother. “I’m sorry.”

And then everything went black.

  
  



End file.
